


Strong

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Smut, Time Travel, attempted suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 09:39:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6605842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Somtimes the strong one needs someone to lean on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strong

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this is late, and I couldn't write the fluffy fic you wanted. I hope this is okay!

Louis tried his best not to fidget in his chair, his teacher droning on, demonstrating just how much the Caesar being responsible for leap years helped them document earth’s revolution around the sun and something else for some reason that Louis should know.

The emptiness had returned, Harry and him had had another fight about the long distance aspect of their relationship. And Harry had accused him of not being supportive which was the furthest thing from the truth hence the fight.

Louis spots Harold in the corridor waiting for him with fifteen minutes to go in the class; Louis refrained from rolling his eyes. As well meaning as he was given that _his_ Harry was gallivanting around Europe with his band mates and getting picked up by his boyfriend was actually cute. It was still pretty bizarre his boyfriends future self coming back looking _the same_ but the initial weirdness was wearing off.

When he actually takes in what he’s wearing his mouth goes dry and his pants are starting to get uncomfortable. Now he understood what his sisters meant about double standards cause here Harold was perfectly legal to basically have his tits out like he did. The print on the shirt was horrendous but that made it more _Harry_ and the fact the he made it work even more so, and the jeans were tighter that Niall’s grip on a bag of chips. And the curly brown ringlets falling into his chest did nothing to quench Louis’ new found thirst.

Louis fidgeted again in his seat, he had already been anxious to get out of the classroom and school and get a head start into getting ready to spend the weekend with his boyfriend. Harry was flying in tomorrow night and Louis couldn’t wait. He had the entire weekend planned and packed to the brim of stuff that the two of them usually wouldn’t get to do together.

His concentration was shot to hell after that, and every single word that flowed through the classroom went in one ear and straight out the other his excitement for the weekend the only thing keeping him awake during the course of the dull class.

A high-pitched ring replaced the drone of his teacher, and Louis only caught the beginning of the homework instructions before he was out of the classroom, legs taking to someone who’d become a safe place the last few months. Harold wrapped his arm around Louis’ shoulders and led them to the parking lot.

A smile tugged at his lips when he saw the car. Seems that in every timeline Harrys had a thing about being flashy, but the peculiar car was so _Harry_ that Louis kind of didn’t mind. Whenever someone asked who was picking him up he always said one of Harry’s more eccentric friends and the answer worked on everyone because ‘Rich people are weird dude’.

“Hurry up,” Harold shouted at Louis’ nostalgia-like pause. “If you don’t mind I would like to leave here this year.”

The shocked stupor faded from his mind, and he was in the car before he even registered the movement, his body taking over. Harold smirked at him. It was trademark, something Louis was so accustomed to by now and one of the easiest ways to tell the two Harrys apart besides physical appearance. Which was funny given that his Harry was all dimples and knock knock jokes, it was thrilling seeing what Harry would grown into.

“So, how was school and how was your day?” Harold asked him using _that_ tone, Louis shivered at the tone. Gruff and measured, it hinted at last week, and Louis’ mind flooded with hard touches calloused hands, the stretched full, filled up contentment that only Harold could grant.

“Good,” he answered both questions. “Good.”

“What did you do today?”

But his voice broke and his cock hardened especially when Harry bent forward to grip the clutch and all Louis could see was _nipple nipple nipple_ and Harold’s smirk told him that he’d seen it all. And it really wasn’t surprising given that the last time he had had sex was with the Harry beside him which had been six days ago. And he was so strung up thinking about the weekend. Friday, i.e. the next day, was a bank holiday and Harry would be arriving the night. Louis didn’t think he could last that long especially when Harold looked like _that_.

“Nothing much, did some driving took a couple pictures.”

“Good, good”

“You said that already.”

A quiver took residence in his stomach at the intensity of Harold’s stare. Harold’s cock was a work of art even though Louis hadn’t ever had another he was pretty much convinced at this point. To go a single day without it was bad enough, but it had been nearly a week and god damn if Harold wasn’t here breaking at least a dozen rules like he said he was to keep Louis company how had he managed these past three years? When he had been eighteen and a horny teenager it was never this bad and currently Louis was unable to concentrate on anything outside of them in the backseat of the small compact car.

“Pull over,” Louis whispered, eyes wide with lust.

“What?” Harry feigned mishearing him if the look on his face was to be trusted,

“Pull over.” He said louder.

“You’re going to have to wait sweet heart.”

But Louis couldn’t wait. Being with Harold the way he ahd these past months had awakened something in him. He unbuckled his seatbelt and slid reached over and started palming Harold’s thigh just coping a feel. Before Harold could say anything Louis was already up to the task.

Nimble fingers pulled at the zipper and released Harold’s cock. Letting it fall thick and half hard against the fabric of his jeans. Louis licks his lips, wetting them, leans over and presses a kiss to the tip. He opens his mouth and sucks the head of Harold’s cock into his mouth. It was salty and earthy, and he savours the taste and then he tries to get the rest in his mouth.

“Holy shit, Louis!” Harold’s tiring to find a secluded enough spot and he’s driving with one hand the other in Louis’ hair.

Louis closes his eyes feeling pleased as soon as the cock was in his mouth. After a while they’re finally two hands in his hair, holding him in place and setting the pace. “Someone’s hungry I see.” Louis can _hear_ the smirk in his voice so he takes one long suck relishing in how his voice cracks.

The first beads of pre-come hit his tongue and Louis salivates, a slick taste of it that he swallows easily. Louis sucks harder trying to milk it for all he was worth. If he were in a more practical and comfortable position (e.g. on his knees) he could deep throat but it’ll be too much of a hassle and when Harold comes he wants him to come **in**.

“Jesus H.” Harold cursed.

Louis could not agree more.

“Ready?”

Louis nodded and Harry took the reins.

“That’s enough,” Harold said. He pulled Louis up roughly by his hair.

Louis groaned feeling his scalp getting stimulated like that, the bitterness of Harold’s come left a not completely unpleasant aftertaste that had Louis licking his lips. The ache in his jaw and the familiar taste had him already begging for more. “Haz…” he said, and his voice was so hoarse not from almost chocking on cock but arousal.

“You want more?” Harold asked, smirk back on his face where it belonged. That smirk was dangerous, took his rimming virginity, made him beg for it while he was fucked slow and dirty, showed him how good a spanking was, that smirk had just about ruined him for everyone but Harold and the thought of his Harry growing up to be so confident, sexy and daring was fascinating. That smirk promised that Louis was about to get **wrecked** every time.

“Please,” Louis whispered.

Harry obliged, “On your back.”

Without hesitation, Louis rolled over. An apparent advantage to being a slight as he was was being able to comfortably fit into compact spaces.

“Take it out.” Louis obeys and Harry’s pupils dilate, “Commando? You minx.”

His reaction to the tone would be embarrassing later on but right now it had Louis scrambling. Once nimble fingers tore at his pants to get them down and off his legs. A steady drip of precome streamed from his cock, but Louis didn’t touch knew better by now.

Harold crawled in after him and Louis felt like sobbing. Next thing he knew his back was on the window and his legs were around Harold’s waist. He was close, so close and they hadn’t even really started yet.

Then lips were on his, soft and tender, coaxing his mouth open. Louis happily welcome Harold’s tongue and they stayed like that for a while just kissing. Louis didn’t protest in the least especially when their cocks started rubbing against each other. And how long had his shirt been off? Maybe around the same time that Harold’s had. Harold’s hand slipped down the back pouch of the car seat and reemerged with lube.

Harold’s rubbed a dry finger against his rim and the look on his face when he realized how easily it could slip in and out was **lethal**.

“You minx.” All Louis could do was blush and gasp when a newly lubed finger breached his hole, his moans only encouraged Harold who was working his way up to two and then finally three. He always came just _so_ close to Louis’ prostate and the poor boy was mewling. He waited a bit for Louis to catch his breath then the head of Harold’s now-swollen cock pressed against his rim and was pressed inside. Harold was always a tight fit, but that was no excuse not to prep Louis properly. He had a lot to make up for (not that Louis knew...yet) and he had sworn when he had first just shown up that he was going to do right by Louis this timeline.

“Fuck me,” he chanted. “Fuck me.”

Harold didn’t need to be told twice. The first few inches went in easily enough, and steady enough that Louis was forced to feel every inch as it forced its way inside. His breathing was shallow, and his body was flushed with the effort of not screaming at Harold to just fucking get on with it already. Harold pulled Louis’ legs over his shoulders and pressed in further until his cock was in as far as it could go and Louis was whimpering at the feel of it.

“You okay, babes?” Harold asked, concerned.

Louis could only nod the only noises he could make were whimpers. That was when the thrusting began and he bit into his knuckle trying to quell the noise that he was making. He pried his eyes open, trying to make sense of his blurred vision while heat burned through him as he felt that he was being split open. A dim sensation of pleasure rose within him, and it pushed away the pain until he was moving his hips experimentally, pulling his ass off of Harold’s cock and he met every thrust successfully fucking himself onto it.

Harold moaned, nice and loud. “Fuck, baby,” he gasped. “Yeah. Fuck yourself on my cock.”

Louis pumped his hips harder, trying to fit the cock so far into his ass that he could almost feel it in his stomach. Every press sent sparks of pleasure through his spine and then finally Harold went for his prostrate after re-positioning them so that Louis cock was rubbing against his stomach. For leverage Louis wrapped his arms around Harold’s neck. And if you were to look in the window of the car you couldn’t see where one ended and the other began. His hips twisted in circles, and his whole body moved as he let Harold have his way with him.

“Fuck,” he panted. “Fill me. Please,” he begged. “Need it...” Louis’ words trailed off into an unintelligible mumble that mixed in with the pleasured sounds of their union.  
Hands that would definitely leave indents on his hips and pulled him back completely then Harold was pulling him off, fucking him brutally, forcing Louis’ hips back hard and fast until the sounds of slapping skin could be heard over the loud pants and groans.

Harold grunted with the last few hard thrusts of his hips before he was spilling deep in Louis’ arse. In the present timeline he and Harry didn’t use condoms because they were in a monogamous relationship and it had meant a lot when Harold had said that no matter how much time passed Louis was still the only one he’d made love to.

The feeling of him being filled up and leaking down his thigh when Harold pulled out made Louis come without any stimulation. His hole fluttered, and his cock twitched.

“You get enough?” Harold asked once Louis had finished. “Are you good now?” Louis weakly nodded.

Harold kisses his sweaty forehead,”Come on love let’s get you home. You’re going to have a busy weekend.”

 

 

~

 

 

 

**What happens 60 years ago**  

_Louis hears his phone ringing and almost drops the hot pan onto the floor. He rushes put the chicken back in the oven and answers his phone, “Hello?”_

_”Hey Lou.”_

_”Hazza what are doing calling shouldn’t you be resting on the plane?” He’s smiling because he’s hearing his boyfriends voice and he’s giddy because for once he’ll have Harry all to himself._

_”Yeah about that.”_

_”What? ”_

_”Babe I’m so sorry but something came up.”_

_”This would’ve been the only time you we get to spend together Harry you’re literally booked out for the rest of the year. ”_

_”I know but if it wasn’t important I wouldn’t have already-”_

_”What? Harry did you already make plans without even asking me if I was okay with any of it?”_

_”See this is why I waited until last minute to tell you cause I knew you would act like this.”_

_”You fucking knew that you were busy and you didn’t tell me?!”_

_”It’s not that big of a deal.”_

_”It’s a huge deal you literally just lied to me, nothing came. We don’t lie to each other Harry, we just don’t.”_

_”Ugh, you know how bad I am at saying no and I didn’t want to disappoint you. You were so excited Lou I didn’t want to tell you until I had too. You know how much I love you, would I ever do anything to intentionally hurt you?”_

_”No. I was just really looking forward to it just being us like old times.”_

_”Good that’s settled, I swear to God I’ll make it up to you.” It’s really not settled but Louis’ so tired of fighting all the time, he’ll let this one slide._

_”You better, travel safe.”_

_”Thanks for being so understanding Lou it’s such a you thing to do. I have to go now, I love you so much.”_

_”I love you too.” And then he hangs up and Louis feels like crying and he does. He cleans up the cooking stuff that he was doing. Though that it would be a nice surprise seeing as Harry usually did all that kind of stuff._

_All in all it’s a pretty decent night, when he told Zayn what had happened his friend had been rightfully pissed and then they had spent the rest of the night live texting through a Power Rangers marathon. It turns to shit when his phone buzzes, it’s a twitter alert. Nick Grimshaw one of Harry’s newer friends had just tweeted a picture of a very drunk Harry in between to blonde models both of them kissing his cheeks. And Louis sits there motionlessly as every insecurity he’s ever had comes up to the surface and he can feel a migraine coming along. Every time he’s been ditched the past three years. Every time he goes on twitter and a fan asks ‘What does Harry see in Louis?’_

He tries to go to sleep but everything is too wired, he tries some of the sleeping pills that Harry uses but to no avail with how often he used them he wouldn’t be surprised if his body had built a resistance to it. After a few more hours of just twisting and turning then settled for a classic. One cup of Brandy turns into him emptying two entire bottles. It’s the first but not the last time that because of Harry that Louis’ drinks himself unconscious to get some peace of mind.*

~

 

For some reason Harry finds himself taking advice with more and more strangers. It’s weird but seeing how receptive Louis’ been to every idea is encouraging.

 

~

** _New Timeline_ **

“Lou?”

“Hazza! In here!” He follows his voice into the kitchen, wraps his arms around his waist to spin him around and kisses him. Louis melts into it and Harry at that moment feels like he’s at home. Whenever Louis was, was where he belonged.

Louis’ on his tiptoes and Harry knows that because of the way their noses are brushing. So he does the obvious lifts him up and plops him down on the counter so that they’re at eye level. Louis breaks the kiss to pout at him the way he always has whenever he was in trouble. It worked then and it worked now, “Don’t look at me like that.”

“What? Can’t I be a little bitter that my younger boyfriend is so much taller than me that I have to actually stand on his feet to kiss him proper?”

“Well this younger boyfriend certainly isn’t complaining.”

Louis sniffs, “Of course _you_ aren't you deviant. You’ve barely been home a minute and you’ve already got your hands on me bum.” Harry blushes and he hadn’t even realised, “It’s a lovely bum?”

All Louis could do was fond at him, “I know that. I hear it enough every day.”

“Beauty should be admired by the masses.”

“That explains why you hoe it up on stages all over the world but not me or my bum.”

“Oh babe, if you wanted to go on tour all you had to ask. If it makes you feel any better if you were to do a solo one, you would sell out in a minute cause of one word; Niall.”

Louis smiled,”Niall is the biggest Louie on the planet.” Niall who fangirled when he had first met him, which said a lot about how Harry talked about him. Niall who met British Royalty and hardly blinked but stutters and blushes whenever Louis complements him. Niall who quickly became one of Louis’ best friends after Harry auditioned for X-Factor at sixteen.

All the boys had been quite young and Louis even though he was only two years older had become a safe place. When they had lost, for some reason Louis had been the glue that kept them together.

While all their families had tried to be sensitive backstage afterwards Louis had been the one cracking jokes that made them smile. Louis had roped his Mum into letting him go on the X-Factor tour and he’d turned into a light for everyone on it. When they had still managed to get signed Louis had thrown the party and had become the subject of Niall’s adoration.

Harry nods solemnly,”He even has me and your Mum edged out when it comes to that. I had to beat him away with two golf clubs and Liam and our entire security detail had to stop him for tagging along when I told him that you were free all weekend. Speaking of if Niall just randomly shows up don’t get mad at me the boy is so persistent.” They just stayed there smiling at each other until a quiet ding brought them out of their stupor.

Harry feels a bit a panic shoot up his spine and let go of him and rushed to the source of the noise, “Louis are you using the oven?”

Louis pouts again, “What’s with that tone? I take much offense.”

“And are these pots warm?”

“Again with that tone.”

Of all the things that he expected to see after being away for so long, _this_ was not it,

“Oh my god, you cooked.”

Louis beams at him,”Yup I learnt while you were away.”

“...why?”

“Because I couldn’t live off takeout and leftovers from Zayn’s forever!”

“But you have the past three years.”

“Maybe I wanted a change.”

“...and nothings exploded?”

“Nope, there hasn’t been an accident in this kitchen since you last left.”

“... why do I feel like you’re lying?”

“Hazza! I would never; we don’t lie to each other.”

“That just means that you’ve skirt around the truth, if I call Zayn up and ask him what would he say?”

Louis paused and Harry had his answer, “What happened and did you pay for the damages?”

Louis sighed,”Ugh, it happened at Zayn’s. Trish was making dinner and I was helping-“

“First mistake right there.”

Louis narrowed his eyes but continued, “Anyway, I added to much, too little, completely forgot and improvised a little and then-“

“Then?”

“Interrupt me one more time and I’m taking away your bum touching privilege, I may or may not have obliterated their oven.”

“Louis.”

“Don’t Louis me and besides after the initial confusion and the fireman left-“

“You called 999! And no one told me?!”

“To be fair I figured you knew and were just playing along especially when that picture of me went viral. But anyways it’s all good Trish pulled me aside and instead of getting the chewing out O deserved she hugs me and thanks me. Turns out that oven was a wedding present for her mother-in-law and that it was as old as Zayn was but no one would let her throw it out. So moral of the story is-“

“-you ruined someones oven while you were being supervised and then thought it was a good idea to cook alone, on your own, by yourself, unsupervised, with only you as company, on your lonesome.”

“Yup at least I’m consistent. I’ve always been stubborn. Enough chat let’s eat.” Harry still looks skeptical and to be fair Louis can’t blame him, “Hey if it really is as bad we both think it’ll be we can always order pizza.”

“It’s okay Lou, I’ll happily eat anything you make for me and hey if I get food poisoning this weekend can turn into a week.”

“Shit I should’ve thought of that.” And laughs at Harry’s face.

Afterwards Louis tells Harry that it really was his first meal and _yes_ he did have Zayn on hold with the fire department. The chicken wrapped in Parma ham stuffed with mozzarella cheese with a side of homemade mash actually turned out great. Nothing had been over or undercooked and had been seasoned well all in all it was a nice surprise. Harry had almost forgotten what a good night with Louis was like, constant banter and chatter only interrupted my heated snogging sessions. He slept that night like he hadn’t in months being the small spoon, _”Thank god for that guy that’s always in Syco’s lobby. If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t have stood up to them and be here.”_

 

~

 

The first time Louis realizes that something is off is when he wakes up with a mouth full of curls, not that that in itself was strange. Harry had a bad habit of tossing turning at night seeking warmth. It's the tattoos on Harry's arm that throw him off but he had assumed that it was a trick of the light and he hadn't been wearing his glasses so he just went back to sleep.

The first time Louis realizes that something is off is when he wakes up with a mouth full of curls, not that that in itself was strange. Harry had a bad habit of tossing turning at night seeking warmth. It's the tattoos on Harry's arm that throw him off but he had assumed that it was a trick of the light and he hadn't been wearing his glasses so he just went back to sleep.

The next time he woke up he was alone again not unusual, Harry liked domesticating him any chance he got. And those were few and far between given his hectic schedule lately and he would be touring again soon. But Louis understood, maybe a little too well but there was a reason why Anne had trusted her 16 year old son with a then 18 year old Louis.

He followed the scent of tea, bacon and fresh bread, Harry was really going all out not that Louis or his stomach were going to complain.

No it was _hearing_ 'Harry' speak that shocked him awake and he realized that the Harry he went to bed was _not_ the Harry that he woke up with.

Louis froze on the spot taking in the scene in their loft's kitchen. Louis wasn't proud of how high pitched his scream was and how he had reacted. Maybe throwing anything he could get his hands on at the _naked_ intruder wasn't the best plan. And maybe some of his embarrassment had to do with how long his eyes had lingered on the home invader's frankly large- no he hadn't checked him out!

And then the next thing he knows half the kitchen pantry is on or stuck to the now unconscious intruder and when he finally went to check on the unknown man. All he could find was a pile up of everything he'd thrown that no doubt Harry would throw a fit if he saw. Louis blinked and promptly ran back upstairs and hid under the covers after sending a text to his co-worker telling them how he wasn't feeling well and tried to fall back to sleep. It happens again and again until he gets accustomed to a long-haired, broader, taller and more tattooed version of his boyfriend.

 

He doesn't tell Harry about 'The Incident TM' I mean how do you bring up that an unconscious naked stranger literally disappeared in front of you? Louis would know he actually looked it up seems Tumblr was good for everything but actual real world problems like teleporting perverts who broke into people's houses and make delicious breakfast.

Speaking of breakfast that newly made bread had been the only thing that helped Louis come to the conclusion that he wasn't completely bonkers. And don't judge him because he helped himself to it, what? He stress ate and right in front of him was Grade A temptation. What could he say? The deviant knew his way around a kitchen.

Harry notices that something is off with Louis; the regular sass has been quite subdued lately and has its usual recipients worried. Harry not so much, it was Louis for Christ's sake he of all people had his shit together. And besides Louis was one of those people that hid things and let them simmer until he reached a breaking point and when he reached that point Harry would be there for him.

They knew each other as well as you could for someone you've been with for over five years and they had grown up together. Harry on the other hand had a habit of being overly sensitive and out of the two depended on Louis for comfort that the other way around.

 

~

 

 

They don’t start off fucking if that first initial meeting was anything to go bye, after Louis stops freaking out every time he appears but eventually Louis gets accustomed to it and when he and ‘Harold’ actually get to talk is when he realizes how much like Harry and yet not he is.

It’s nice to talk to a Harry that actually listens and doesn’t interrupt. He hadn’t even realized how much stuff he was holding in until he started to Harold.

It’s nice when Zayn tells him that his smile was back and then Louis realizes how long it’s been since he smiled for _himself_ or smiled period outside of going to a red carpet event as Harry’s date.

It’s nice when he starts back talking to his Mum hadn’t even realized that he had cut her out of his life.

It’s nice feeling like himself after so long of feeling like a stranger in his own body all because of a draining relationship. And ironically as Louis’ finding himself again, Harry’s starts _acting_ like himself. He turns down offers to spend time with him never books over the holidays (like he had the year before, for the first time ever missing Louis’ birthday). Every time everything feels too much for Louis he finds himself unloading to Harold.

They both seem to be getting their shit back together and for everyone around them it’s a relief.

~

The first time Harold kisses Louis he gets slapped.

 

The second time Louis runs away.

 

The third time Louis returns it.

 

The fourth time it leads to sex and then Louis immediately regrets it.

 

The fifth time _he_ kisses Harold.

 

And then it becomes a pattern.

 

And post sex haze was the only time he ever got straight answers out of Harold.

 

\--

 

“Why are you here in the first place?”

“Just missed is all.”

Louis is starting to worry that all this fond isn’t good for his heart, “Wow, no matter how old you get you’re still a gigantic cheese ball aren’t you?”

“Heyy.”

\--

 

“You said that bracelet changes your appearance completely to anything in the world so why do you choose to look twenty one? I know that humans are quite intelligent but there’s no way we perfect the art of time travel in two years”

“You loved this look the most.” He says simply.

“Future me had great taste.”

“Yes he does.”

 

\--

 

“We get married!”

“Yup.”

“And have kids?”

“Sort of.”

“What does that even mean?” But he feels too ecstatic to really think about what Harold had said.

“Whatever you want, we also have a dog.”

“I can’t believe everything I’ve ever wanted actually happens.”

He doesn’t notice Harold’s silence.

 

\--

 

“Why are you here really?”

“To stop myself from making the worst mistake in my life.”

\--

 

~

 

Harry finds out, of course he does.

 

~

 

Louis finds himself waking up with Harold more and more as opposed to his ‘current’ boyfriend who was last spotted in Oceania. And he finds himself minding less and less. Anytime he and Harry talk now they are either yelling within a minute of greeting each other or they have the best of times. It was tiring.

They’re in the shower, and Louis’ shampooing Harold’s curls and having the time of his life.

“Are you going to video chat you’re Mum after this? It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s been hard keeping in touch with the move and trying to keep up with all of Harry’s time zones but she’s been really understanding.”

“That’s ‘cause she loved me. Would introduce me as her son-in-law whenever the rest of your family would come over. And she had our Christmas Stockings as the Tomlinson-Styles.”

Louis smiled at the memory; both of their families had been supportive of them from the very beginning. But their Mums, their Mums had been in love with their love. “As if you can talk Anne likes me way better than she’s ever liked you.”

“It’s still like that in the future. Mum would say ‘Sweetie can you come in here, oh and can you bring Harry with you.’ ”

They both laughed at that until something that Harry had said fully registered with Louis, “Harold you said ‘loved’ like in the past time? Do you mean that the way I’m thinking you is?”

Harry sighed,”Yeah, most likely. Jay and I have a falling out.”

“How big of a falling out? Harry my mum adores you, she thinks she’s joking when she says that she’s going to name her next kid if she has one after you but I know my mum and I know when she’s kidding and she’s really really not. What happened? Is that part of the reason why you’re here in the first place?”

“What? I told you already I’m here because I missed you.”

“And I’m not buying that. That fancy bracelet on your wrist let’s you change your appearance why can’t future me do that with you? So that you two could live vicariously through our younger selves if you really missed how perky my bum was?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Then help me too.”

Harry mumbles answer and Louis’ starting to get ticked off, “Well?”

“We...aren’t together anymore.”

The world stops and Louis’ sure that he can hear his heart breaking. The water’s gone cold but neither of them notices and to be honest it’s perfectly timed because Louis feels like if he’s been on the receiving ends of one Niall’s pranks.

“W-what?”

“You break up with me in about five years or so.” They made it that long only to give up? Why doesn’t this make sense to Louis? And why on earth was it Louis who broke up with Harry and not the other way around?

“B-but you talked about a wedding a-and a-a k-kid and p-p-pets.”

“Yeah we do.” Future him got a divorce when there was a kid involved? When he of all people knew what it was like growing up in a broken home.

“Harry” Louis chokes out, “What happens to us?”

“Me.”

Louis’ getting really tired of saying what all the time so he lets Harry continue,” Remember how during one of our first encounters I joked about being here out of guilt? Well that wasn’t a joke.”

“I can’t- no I don’t want to think about what you could’ve done that I would’ve fucking left you when we had a goddamn kid.” Serah that what Harold had called her and it was pretty obvious that he loved her.

“I can, and after all this time I still don’t blame you.”

“After all this time? Wait how old are you?” His voice is progressively getting louder the angrier he’s becoming. Calling him ‘Harold’ had felt like a clever pun at the time but now not so much.

“I’ll be ninety in about a week when I get back to my timeline.”

“In a five years I’m twenty six why would you wait **sixty** years to come back to try and fix-?!” He’s interrupted before he can finish.

“Because you’d been alive!”

Louis knees give out under him and Harold catches him,”I’d always thought that we’d end up back together even after all that time passed. You had walked out and I hadn’t chased after you and I had just expected to come back Louis you’ve _never_ left me before for any reason so I figured it was like all those times before that you just needed to cool off. Our families took our break up worse than I did, I hadn’t taken it seriously and while I was on tour Mum and Gem moved in with you to help you out with Serah.”

“T-hey chose me over y-you?”

“Mum couldn’t live in the house I bought her after... the incident. And she wasn’t the only one. Everyone had, my family, my friends even the goddamn band. At first Niall and Liam had been on mine and they had just thought that the relationship had gone stale and we had just fallen out of love but when they found out- they almost left the band.”

Louis’ head jerks up he of all people know how much being in that band meant to the three of them and an ominous feeling was creeping up on him, what the hell had Harry done?

“Management refused to let that happen and after a few years they begrudgingly forgave me. But it was never the same, I’m pretty sure I have a scar or two cause of the fist fight Zayn and I got into.” All three of them had grown up together and had and **are** as thick as thieves. How fucked up was what Harry did?

“D-d-did you cheat on me?” Louis felt nauseous saying it but it was the most probable thing hat Harry could’ve done that would’ve completely isolated him from everyone that he loved.

Harold’s silent and Louis’ angrier than he’s been in a while so he pushes the much bigger man and asks again this time more steely, “Did you motherfucking cheat on me?!”

“No-“

Louis doesn’t feel relived, whatever the hell Harry did was **worse** than cheating, “Then why-“

“I-“

“What the hell is going on here!?"

Of course that’s when the Harry of this timeline finds them.

 

~

 

And of course he walks in on the two of them in the shower. It luckily had been after Louis washed (and had been completely fascinated by) Harold's long shoulder length hair. And the reason they even brought the shower was because it acted as a vacuum and it was honestly so relaxing using it, felt like you were in your own world. So he doesn't hear Harry calling for him downstairs or him open the bathroom door. And he probably wouldn't have given the nature of the conversation he was having with Harold. What he does see is his mouth fall open taking in the scene in front of him.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

“Harry!” Louis pushes Harold away and grabs a towel and runs to his boyfriend.

“Why does it look like you’re taking a shower with older version of me?” Harry asked trying to wrap his head around what he had just walked in on. If he didn’t know any better he would say that Louis was ...cheating on him. But this was Louis he was talking about.

“Well-“

“Because he kind of is.” And Harry’s even more confused now.

“Stay out of this!”

“Lou what‘s going on?”

“I can explain.”

“Explain how you’re naked in the shower with another man?! By all means go ahead.”

Louis opened his mouth and just as abruptly closed it think how ridiculous it sounded to say,

‘Technically he’s you so I’m not cheating. He’s just an eighty nine year old time travelling version of you.’

“Yeah that’s what I thought, honestly I'm gone for what a few months this is what you're reduced to? “

“Harry it really isn’t what it looks like if you would just-“

“Not what it looks like?! It looks like your cheating on me!”

“I’m not!”

“He’s really not.”

“You stay out of this!” They both scream at him together.

“Louis! I can’t believe you! How am I supposed to trust you when you can't stay loyal to me?"

At that moment Louis thinks fuck it and tells Harry the truth because that’s the only answer he has for him.

Fun fact: Harry actually believes Louis but the thought of Louis with another version of him makes him even angrier.

"Fucking an actual older version of me!?"

"Well you weren't."

“Oh my god shut up!” They both scream again and Harold raises his arms up in surrender.

“You have your own Louis why would you need to time travel to be with mine?”

Louis feels like crying and barely manages to choke out, “Because Hazza we aren’t together in his time.”

“W-what? W-we Break u-u-up?”

“Louis you should leave let me talk to him Harry Styles to Harry Styles.”

“But-“Harry seemed to be taking the news as hard as Louis had and he wanted to comfort him.

“Please, just give me a few minutes with him.” It’s the first time that Harold’s pleaded with him about something outside of sex so he obliges.

Harold slaps Harry the second the two of them are alone.

"What the hell was that for? If you're really me then you of all people should know how I'm feeling."

"I know exactly what you're feeling hence why I slapped you, at that age we usually lost our thunder during the first blow up and that's why you can't tell your management no and when Louis starts to spiral."

“Why are you even here? What you’re doing literally goes against everything any movie on time travel has ever taught me.”

Harold taps his bracelet and the next thing Harry’s face to face with ... Jeff from Modest? The one who had been the reason behind him and Louis having that amazing weekend then Jeff?? Taps the bracelet and turns into... nice pap Rick who had given him a coupon to what had recently become his and Louis’ favourite place to eat. Rick tapped the bracelet and then turned into ... his new driver Hilda who was always harping on him to appreciate what he had in her thick accent. What was going on? He thought as he watched the form in front of him morph into at least ten people whom Harry saw on a regular basis.

After a while he was staring back at his own face and hearing his own voice tell him, “I had to come back at make sure that you and Louis make it. I don’t want another Harry to have to go through what I went through.”

“What happens to us and Louis?” He’s dreading the answer but he _has_ to know.

"Let me tell you how this goes; Louis sticks around another five years cause that's just the kind of guy he is and he makes himself absolutely miserable. Something happens in a year that makes it seem like if you're both in this for the long haul. So you propose-"

"Wait _I_ propose? That doesn't make any sense, we discussed it Louis' the one who gets decide if we're ready or not."

"Did you miss the part where I'm here solely because we completely crushed Louis' confidence and passion? Not to mention spoiler alert you turn into the biggest prat on the planet. Now let me finish you need to hear this."

"And then the next thing you know you're filling out adoption papers. You adopt this adorable, gorgeous black girl named Serah, its love at first sight with her and Louis. She likes you well enough but Louis doesn't put her down for about three weeks after our paperwork gets finalized. You get called when the toilets clogged with her Legos and Louis gets called when she wants cuddles but you don't mind and think it's for the best given how much you travel. And she's the only thing that keeps you two going for the next few years. She begs you for a dog so you get one, she names it Errol. And they become the sole reason why Louis waited so long. You're head is so up your arse that you don't see him breaking right in front of you.

To the point where Louis tries to make everything go away and he shoves a couple dozen pills down his throat while you're on your 5th Arena tour and 8th tour in general but you were at an award show. Getting drunk off your arse because why wouldn't you? Serah finds Louis after Errol was barking up a storm and she calls you using his phone, you’re so accustomed to ignoring his calls that it almost feels natural as you swipe left to end the call. So used to putting yourself before him and him doing the same. You smoke something, you take a suspicious pill and drink and drink and drink and of course a video of you throwing up goes viral just as your husband is getting his stomach pumped. And you go on a bender that lasts almost a week. Your phone’s off and you miss both of Louis surgeries and his hospital stay. The next time you see Louis and Serah they're with lawyers and Louis wants a divorce and Serah wants to live with Louis. Even as young as she was she realized what had happened."

Both Harrys have tears in their eyes and Harold's voice is choking as he retells how badly he fucked up with Louis.

"After a few months it’s decided that you get Serah one weekend a month and that you can spend holidays with her. The next year you're in an iron clad contract so you can't make anything’s, surprise surprise no one misses you. It's been two years since you've actually spoken to Louis so you decide that it's a good idea to surprise everyone by going to Christmas lunch, you have a presents for Louis and Serah. You show up knock on the door Jay answers and she slaps you first time she’s seen you since the custody hearing, Louis' second set of twin siblings that have yet to arrive here kick you because they know you as the 'meanie who hurt their louie'. Don't even think of making eye contact with Lottie and Fizzy they hate your guts and then the next thing you know you're holding this box of all of your old stuff. And you're confused and they happily explain 'there's no need for your stuff to be at our house anymore' after they say 'Zayn did good' referencing the fight that the two of you get into and the black eye you still have and a few broken bones that have healed by then and that's that."

"The house that you used to run to whenever Mum and Dad's fights got too loud or when Gemma was being mean isn't yours anymore. The woman who taught you how to bake and made you love cooking wants nothing to do with you. The little girls who you taught how to braid and wanted to marry you when they were younger want nothing to do with you. Mum and Gemma can't hold a conversation for you for longer than a minute before it gets awkward. And finally you see Louis, the man who you put in the hospital. And he looks so _good_ he's glowing and he hasn't looked like that in years and you can't help but think how _good_ it is for Louis to be away from your toxicity."

"After that you don't see any of them for about a decade and then you get a call that Serah is graduating Med school early. Seeing Louis like that prompted something in her and it's funny how your fuck up inspired your kid to do something great. At this point you literally have every award in the book under your belt and you've actually achieved Icon Hall of Famer Status but nothing _nothing_ compares to the feeling of seeing Louis after all those years. And then the soul heart wrenching feeling of seeing Louis kiss somebody else and you see Serah with her two _younger_ siblings.

You discreetly congratulate Serah who actually looks happy to see you and you stay long enough to hear her whole Valedictorian speech. You don't even speak to Louis you just leave as soon as the ceremony ends. The next time you see Louis it's half a century later and it's his funeral. And you get drunk enough and you manage to break into one of Liam's labs and you get this brilliant idea to use do something so _so_ **so** **_so_** stupid and go back in time and fix the fuck ups. And for a minute you don’t think it worked when you wake up in bed but then you see Louis and for the first time in decades Louis' within touching range. And I broke the first rule of time travel, 'Avoid the butterfly effect.’ Louis looked at me and I know that he was seeing you but can you give this old man a break? I ruined Louis and then I ruined myself feeling empty was just another thing for me as easy as breathing and eating. But the smile that he gave me instilled something in me and I felt less broken than I have in a- hell it's been so long I don't even know almost forgot what it felt like.”

Harry looks so pale Harold's worried that he broke his younger self but he continues because he doesn’t have that much time left and it's important that for once he _listens_ ,"Do you understand now? Why I’m here? It's imperative that you get your shit together and stop dragging Louis down with you, his actual life is in danger. With me being here the future is complete anomaly now I can't predict anything. If there'd been no Serah and Errol Louis would’ve died but if you treat him right they’ll be no direct threat to his life, think about that." And the next thing Harry knows he closing his eyes to shield them from the bright light emitting from his future self.

How was he supposed to react to what could’ve as well been a nuclear bomb? Essentially he caused the man he loved more than anything to hate himself so much that he tried to commit suicide. And the fact that as soon as thought that there was a voice in his head saying that Louis attempting to commit suicide was asinine given how strong he was told him all he needed to know about he saw Louis. As a solid brick wall instead of a layered person. He had seen firsthand what neglect did to someone he recollects on his mother’s relationship with his bio-father.

Fuck he’d become his dad if he didn’t fix his relationship with Louis.

 

~

 

There’s a tentative knock on the door and Louis’ stepping, “Haz? Are you okay?”

“Not really.”

“Oh... are you mad?"

"I'm more mad at myself than I could ever be with you.'

"What do you mean- hey! Have you been crying? What did Harold say to you?" Louis rushes to him and cradles his face in hands. Harry takes in the nurturing expression on his face. It’s so easy for Louis to take care of him. _”How many times have I just expected him to take care of me without even asking?”_

"Louis, have I really been that awful to you?"

“What? Where is this coming from?”

“Future me warned that that if I don’t start taking us seriously and treating like a person then I’m going to lose you forever.”

“Well I mean sometimes I feel like our relationship goes only one way when it comes to support and sacrifices. And I get that you’re busy but Harry you never ask me about school and I moved to London for you and you’ve never thanked me. And if remember correctly you _told_ me that we were moving to London.”

“God I have been a prat.”

“Yeah a little bit but you’ve never did on purpose at least ... not yet. I mean I leave you when we have a kid in that future that alone speaks volumes of what happened between us. But I know sometimes you get lost in your head and I understand but that’s still no excuse for me to feel like how I felt before your future self came.”

“I just want you to promise me something.”

“Anything.” Louis said earnestly.

“If being with me-“

“I think I know what you’re going to say. And I promise that if we ever get to that point that I’ll put myself first and do what’s best for me.”

Harry lets his head fall onto Louis’ shoulder, “I still don’t know how I feel about you two sleeping together but I get it. If he... well me was making you feel good after all that I did to you then I can’t be too made can I?”

“Unless you want to upgrade to huge prat otherwise no.” It’s the first time they’ve smiled at each other since Harry got home.

"For once let's be strong together. So boo bear-" Harry smiled even wider at Louis' groan, "How was your day? And don't hold back."

Harry doesn’t ever tell Louis about _that_ future because as far as he’s concerned it’s **never** going to happen.

~

Things even out after that the fact that no future version of himself had stopped him told Harry that he was on the right track. Louis proposed two years later and had a small wedding that had made him so happy that two weeks later while on their honeymoon he was all smiles. Harry gets to meet Serah and she is as beautiful as Harold said, and more importantly gets the pleasure of seeing Louis fall in love with her at first sight like Harold had described. Even though he'd only had a few short conversations with the young girl he could definietly see her being a future Valedictorian. This time around she comes with her own pet gerbil named Errol.

 


End file.
